Yang Xipeng, Wu Jinlong, Ma Yudan, Yu Jingxuan, Cao Hong, Zeng Aihua, Fu Rui, Tang Yucheng, Ren Zhanbing
College of Physical Education, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
College of Physical Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
J Med Internet Res. 2025 Feb 5;27:e60845. doi: 10.2196/60845.
Virtual reality (VR) technology has shown significant potential in improving the social skills of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
This study aimed to systematically review the evidence supporting the effectiveness of VR technology in improving the social skills of children and adolescents with ASD.
The search for eligible studies encompassed 4 databases: PubMed, Web of Science, IEEE, and Scopus. Two (XY and JW) researchers independently assessed the extracted studies according to predefined criteria for inclusion and exclusion. These researchers also independently extracted information regarding gathered data on the sources, samples, measurement methods, primary results, and data related to the main results of the studies that met the inclusion criteria. The quality of the studies was further evaluated using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale.
This review analyzed 14 studies on using VR technology interventions to improve social skills in children and adolescents with ASD. Our findings indicate that VR interventions have a positive effect on improving social skills in children and adolescents with ASD. Compared with individuals with low-functioning autism (LFA), those with high-functioning autism (HFA) benefited more from the intervention. The duration and frequency of the intervention may also influence its effectiveness. In addition, immersive VR is more suitable for training complex skills in individuals with HFA. At the same time, nonimmersive VR stands out in terms of lower cost and flexibility, making it more appropriate for basic skill interventions for people with LFA. Finally, while VR technology positively enhances social skills, some studies have reported potential adverse side effects. According to the quality assessment using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale, of the 14 studies, 6 (43%) were classified as high quality, 4 (29%) as moderate quality, and 4 (29%) as low quality.
This systematic review found that VR technology interventions positively impact social skills in children and adolescents with ASD, with particularly significant effects on the enhancement of complex social skills in individuals with HFA. For children and adolescents with LFA, progress was mainly observed in basic skills. Immersive VR interventions are more suitable for the development of complex skills. At the same time, nonimmersive VR, due to its lower cost and greater flexibility, also holds potential for application in specific contexts. However, the use of VR technology may lead to side effects such as dizziness, eye fatigue, and sensory overload, particularly in immersive settings. These potential issues should be carefully addressed in intervention designs to ensure user comfort and safety. Future research should focus on optimizing individualized interventions and further exploring the long-term effects of VR interventions.
International Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols INPLASY202420079U1; https://inplasy.com/inplasy-2024-2-0079/.
虚拟现实（VR）技术在改善自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）儿童和青少年的社交技能方面已显示出巨大潜力。
本研究旨在系统评价支持VR技术改善ASD儿童和青少年社交技能有效性的证据。
对4个数据库进行合格研究检索，包括PubMed、科学网、电气和电子工程师协会（IEEE）数据库以及Scopus数据库。两名研究人员（XY和JW）根据预先确定的纳入和排除标准独立评估提取的研究。这些研究人员还独立提取了符合纳入标准的研究中关于来源、样本、测量方法、主要结果以及与主要结果相关的数据等收集到的数据信息。使用物理治疗证据数据库量表进一步评估研究质量。
本综述分析了14项关于使用VR技术干预改善ASD儿童和青少年社交技能的研究。我们的研究结果表明VR干预对改善ASD儿童和青少年的社交技能有积极作用。与低功能自闭症（LFA）个体相比，高功能自闭症（HFA）个体从干预中获益更多。干预的持续时间和频率也可能影响其效果。此外，沉浸式VR更适合训练HFA个体的复杂技能。同时，非沉浸式VR在成本较低和灵活性方面表现突出，使其更适合用于LFA个体的基本技能干预。最后，虽然VR技术能积极提高社交技能，但一些研究报告了潜在的不良副作用。根据使用物理治疗证据数据库量表进行的质量评估，14项研究中，6项（43%）被归类为高质量，4项（29%）为中等质量，4项（29%）为低质量。
本系统评价发现，VR技术干预对ASD儿童和青少年的社交技能有积极影响，对提高HFA个体的复杂社交技能影响尤为显著。对于LFA儿童和青少年，主要在基本技能方面取得了进展。沉浸式VR干预更适合复杂技能的发展。同时，非沉浸式VR由于成本较低且灵活性更高，在特定情境下也具有应用潜力。然而，VR技术的使用可能会导致头晕、眼睛疲劳和感觉过载等副作用。在干预设计中应仔细解决这些潜在问题，以确保用户的舒适度和安全性。未来的研究应侧重于优化个性化干预，并进一步探索VR干预的长期效果。
国际注册系统评价和荟萃分析方案平台INPLASY202420079U1；https://inplasy.com/inplasy-2024-2-0079/ 。
